The first three times Dr. Rush approached Charlie about the opportunity of a lifetime, Charlie kicked him out. The fourth time, they went through his student. It worked. Rating bumped to M for swearing and future M scenes. Slash and Het ahoy: Charlie x Greer, Matt x Chloe, Young x Rush, Eli x ?

*Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters and ideas….and the plot bunnies in the corner. Please don't sue, I'm a poor college student that has no life and way too many video games.*

"Sure, it's going to kill a lot of people, but they may be dying of something else anyway."

Air Part 1

It was dark, very dark. The room was cast in only a pale blue light from the iridescent mathematic improbability behind him. The metal floor was so cold where his knees thrummed from the cruel impact. His left hand clutched his military issued duffel bag as he ducked instinctually. A large black crate flew over his head, narrowly missed him, a backpack connected painfully with his back.

Fingers digging into flesh, a bruising grip around his bicep, shoulder socket wrenched painfully. Charlie found himself being pulled out of the way as another crate slammed into his previous position followed by a person. Dull confused eyes gazed around the too dark room, dozens of people were scattered about, some injured, all yelling. It was too loud…it was too everything.

It was chaos, everywhere people were crying, screaming, shouting. Everyone was confused; there were so many questions and no answer in sight. And more people just kept coming. They were tumbling out of the Stargate like the Devil was on their heels.

"Where are we?" A female voice yelled, her words barely registering through the panic. Charlie recognized the voice, but he couldn't see over the congregating mass. It was that one woman from IOA, but he couldn't remember her name.

"Move off to the side," a male voice replied, barely covering the hysteria. Lieutenant Scott, the soldier that had been assigned to him and his student. Speaking of which, where was his student?

Scared brown eyes darted around the room, a shout for a Medic momentarily distracting him. He was positive Eli had made it through before him, so where was he? The influx of people finally came to a halt and the young Professor turned to the still active Stargate fear and trepidation settling uncomfortably in his chest.

The event horizon shimmered forebodingly before a body was rocketed out of the wormhole and nearly twenty feet across the room. It took Charlie micro seconds to plot the fall trajectory, the person would be lucky to survive. The Stargate deactivated even before the man had hit the ground and the room was cast in true and complete darkness.

The sudden darkness and activation of the cooling system underneath the gate had the group of survivors in near hysterics before flashlights started to appear all around him. The small torches did little to stave off the dark, but it was better than nothing and Charlie felt a small portion of panic leave him. He wanted Don here; his brother would know what to do. But his brother wasn't here, and Charlie knew he needed to get himself together. He needed to find Eli.

It was the bright red shirt that gave him away. Nobody else on the Icarus base would wear such a bright color. Charlie made his way over to his very promising but unmotivated student who was standing nearly underneath the curving staircase. Excuse me, and beg your pardon were ineffective in clearing a path, so the Professor resulted in pushing and shoving his way through the congregated mass.

Fingers latching onto his student's elbow, Charlie barely made it to Eli's side before a panicked "TJ!" had everyone surging to the sides. From his new position next to Eli, Charlie could see what the panic was about. Colonel Young lay still and unmoving on the metal floor. TJ, who Charlie assumed was a Medic finally made it to Scott's side and he watched as the younger man attempted to reign in his own panic as he took in the group of survivors.

"Wallace!" Scott yelled, and his student finally took his eyes off the injured man and Charlie was able to see his pallid face set in shock. "What is this place?"

A question everyone wanted answers to, but why would his student know? "I just," Eli turned away from Matt and his light hazel brown eyes met his own dark ones. "I just did what Doctor Rush told me," panic and hysteria coloring his voice. His eyes pleading for understand, forgiveness… he just wanted somebody to tell him that it wasn't his fault.

Anger, disbelief, and desperation danced across the Lieutenants face, none of which Eli saw, his eyes still latched on his Professor's. Charlie squeezed his elbow in comfort but did little else to reassure him. "Where is he?"

Only once Scott had asked did Charlie realize that the Scotsman was missing. "You two," two fingers pointing at the Mathematicians over the heads of the Icarus personnel separating them. "Help me find him." Lieutenant Scott moved off a few paces, conferring with a soldier Professor Eppes had never seen before. They were too far away to hear and Charlie was simply too… everything to care.

Numbers, trajectories, statistics ran across his mind, a coping mechanism that was effective in stemming the panic he was feeling. He was pulled back into the nightmare when a strange sense of vertigo overtook him and his vision was momentarily washed out with colors. It seemed to set off another bout of hysteria over the group.

Only when Eli winced and shifted uncomfortably next to him did he realize his grip had become too strong. Turning to apologize, he was interrupted when Scott yelled at them. "Eppes, Eli, NOW!"

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"I've solved it," Eli Wallace shouted, slamming the door open, wood bouncing off wall and almost hitting him in the face. His excited exclamation was lost on the one person in the room, since he was wearing sound cancelling headphones and heard not a word.

The slightly chubby 25 year old pulled a facial expression that he would deny was a pout until the day he died and tried again. Approaching the other who's back was turned; he tapped on the shorter man's shoulder and waited for his presence to be acknowledged.

"Eli, it's good to see you," Charles Eppes, the CalSci Math Professor, said as he pulled himself away from the chalk covered black board. Equations covered the board in atrocious handwriting, barely discernable to even the creator, and Eli was sure he had never seen anything so amazing.

A huge smile plastered itself across the younger man's boyish face as he held up a notebook. "Professor, I solved it." His Professor looked upon him in barely concealed amusement, dark brown eyes twinkling, before he grabbed the book and opened it slowly. He was being humored. "I know I got it…this time." Eli sounded less sure, wanting so badly to be right, wanting to please his Professor.

"That's what you said last time…and the time before that," Charlie stated with no malice and a little bit of fondness. He knew his student had been trying so hard. The pages before him were scribbled in numbers and a language he had never seen before last month.

When his newest student approached him about an equation hidden in a computer game, the Professor saw a great teaching opportunity. Eli was great kid, and a brilliant mathematician in the making, but he was so unmotivated it was almost painful. Charlie had been trying to find a way to motivate him into doing something with his mind, and now he had found the perfect means.

Eli had come to his Professor, hoping for an answer, or at least a push in the right direction. Instead what he got was a mischievous smile and a shove out the door. Professor Eppes wanted him to solve the problem on his own, so he did. Of course if he got too off track, Charlie was more than willing to steer him back into the right direction.

Charlie could have given him the answer, after all it had only taken him a week and a half to solve the equation, but that would have defeated the purpose. So instead he pushed Eli to do it himself, and Charlie knew that he would. Though his student may have been unmotivated, he loved his video games and a challenge.

So far, the equation looked sound. Charlie spent a few more minutes, going over the work while Eli fidgeted in place, anxiousness oozing off of him. The young Professor was tempted to let the kid sweat it out for a little longer, but he wasn't that cruel. "And this time…you are correct Mr. Wallace. You have solved it."

A holler met his statement and he was suddenly engulfed in a bear hug as Eli yelped in joy. Charlie patted him on the back and laughed at his student's joy. Once the other had calmed down, he let his curiosity get the better of him. "So, what did the equation do?"

The joy left Eli's face and a look of annoyance took over. "Absolutely nothing, can you believe that?"

A knock interrupted Eli's rant and they turned to the door as a man dressed in military blues walked in. "Eli Wallace?"

Eli glanced over at his Professor in confusion. A hard look spread across the Professor's face and he stepped in front of his student, blocking him from the older man. "Who's asking?"

An indulgent smile spread across the other's face as he entered the room fully. "Don't worry Professor Eppes; we just want to ask him a few questions."

The CalSci student glanced between his teacher and the stranger in trepidation. The way his Professor was acting scared him, but curiosity won out. Still standing behind the young Professor he asked, "About what?"

The grey haired military man turned away from them and waved to somebody down the hall that they couldn't see. Seconds later another man, this one dressed in civilian clothing, stepped into the room and Eli heard his teacher inhale sharply. "Rush," Charlie said in what wasn't exactly a greeting.

"Eppes," Rush replied.

The standoff continued for several more seconds before it was broken by the older man. "O'Neill, with two l's," Eli found himself smiling in spite of himself.

"What can I do for you two, gentleman?" Charlie asked in a rather frigid tone, arms crossing in a defensive manner.

O'Neill removed his hat and came further into the office while Rush started to explain. "Mr. Wallace, you spent a rather lot of time recently playing an online fantasy game called Prometheus, did you not?"

"Is this what this whole thing's about, a game?" Eli asked, moving from behind his Professor. Charlie was liking the situation even less. "Seriously, does Big Brother have nothing better to do?"

"A month of my life went into that," a look passed Eli's face. "Do you know what happens when you solve it…" he leaned forward conspiratorially. "Nothing."

"We're here…that happened," O'Neill chimed in from his position at the Professor's desk. He was picking up random objects, inspecting them, before placing them where they clearly did not belong. Don did the same thing, so Charlie was completely unaffected by such a juvenile action.

Rush smiled softly, completely undeterred. "To complete that particular puzzle you have to solve a millennium old mathematical proof written in another language. And for that you have won something of prize."

Eli rolled his eyes; something about the situation didn't feel right. "Yeah, well I had help," gesturing halfheartedly to his Professor. Charlie smiled at him softly, even as he felt his heart sink at the words.

"Yes, Professor Eppes," Rush said, turning to him. "I believe I approached you several months ago for this very same problem." Eli turned stunned eyes to his teacher. "You said no."

Charlie's eyes narrowed as he watched the man before him. "And I am still saying no."

"Professor," Eli's voice was suddenly very unsure. "What's going on?"

"How long did it take you to solve the Decara puzzle, Professor Eppes?" Rush inquired, "Three weeks…two…one?" Charlie's jaw tightened, refusing to answer. "Just as I thought," Rush opened his worn leather briefcase, pulling out two stacks of papers. "These are non-disclosure agreements-"

"Let me get this straight," Eli interrupted him, sounding defensive. "You people imbedded a top secret problem into a game hoping someone like me would solve it, because he wouldn't? Why do you need us now?"

Another soft smile, "I assure you, it will be worth your while to sign it."

Eli took both stacks when Charlie refused to touch them. "And if we don't?" Though he asked, the gamer wasn't so sure he wanted to know.

O'Neill straightened, resuming his position by the door. "We'll beam you up onto our space ship."

Eli chuckled nervously at how serious he sounded. "I am going to have my lawyer look over these-"

"And by lawyer you mean mother," O'Neill interrupted.

"So we agree, we will call you," Eli continued as if he hadn't been cut off, ushering them out the door before closing it in their faces. Turning back to his Professor, who still looked defensive, he said, "Well that was strange."

Eli moved over to Charlie, handing him his own non-disclosure agreement while he looked at his in curiosity. Charlie glanced at his like it was toxic. "Eli," he started, "I don't think we should even consider this."

Bringing his eyes up from the pages Eli looked at him like he had a second head. "Consider it, are you kidding me. Not me, nope, I am perfectly happy playing my 'online fantasy games' and besides, my Mom needs me."

A sad look passed over Charlie's face and he moved to comfort his student, but before he could, they were engulfed in a bright white light, and everything changed. "Wo…wha' th," Eli stuttered, gazing out of the window down to what could no doubt be Earth. Charlie was in the same shock, stapled papers falling from his limp hand.

"Welcome aboard the Hammond, Eli, Eppes," they both turned to Doctor Rush who looked rather smug and a little proud. "Yes that is Earth and yes you are on a space ship." Eli glanced around him, taking in the metal room and blinking systems, Charlie only looked at Rush. "We need your help, both of you, and to be honest…I don't know how long it is going to take."

"I should, ah, call my Mom. You know, tell her where I am," Eli said distracted, waving his cell phone around while he began to dial.

Another small smile graced Dr. Rush's features, filled with amusement. "That is probably not going to work up here."

"Right," Eli said, trying to sound like he knew that all along. Charlie found himself relaxing at the familiar behavior.

"There is a cover story you both will need to learn while we are on our way," Rush finally turned to them both.

Charlie moved up so he was standing less in the background, holding up a hand to forestall Rush from continuing any further. "On the way…" trailing off, not sure how to finish that sentence.

"To another planet of course," Rush stated. He made it sound like it was common place, then again, it might just be. "Twenty-One light years from Earth."

"We also know that you are currently unemployed, in debt because of your school tuition, and your mother's medical coverage is an…" he paused to find the appropriate words, "ongoing issue. We'll see that she gets the best medical care while you are gone."

"Something like that," Rush replied in all seriousness. Both Charlie and Eli felt the hairs on the back of their neck stand.

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The Hammond broke orbit slowly as it made its way out into the galaxy. Once it was free of the Earth's gravitational pull, it entered Hyperspace and started its journey across the stars. Inside the great impressive space ship, Charlie sat with Eli Wallace in a small room. The chairs that were provided them were uncomfortable to the point of almost torture and the video's, after the first hour, even more so.

Charlie had heard about Daniel Jackson, the doctor who was laughed out of the archeological world before dropping off the face of the planet. And as they watched him narrate the footage, Charlie could see why. The Stargate was truly a fascinating device and the Ancients even more so, but after four hours of it, he was about to pull his hair out in frustration.

Eli sighed dramatically next to him, before he threw his pen across the room a stood suddenly. "Okay, time out, break time."

Charlie laughed at him, standing up as well. His back popped in several places as his joints decided to rebel. "I second that motion."

Eli turned to his Professor, a smile crossing his features. "Thanks again, for coming with me." Charlie just nodded his head, his own look falling as Eli turned away from him. This was the exact situation he had been trying to avoid, and now it seemed as if both of them were caught up right in the middle of it.

The first time Rush had approached him, Charlie had been curious, but had kindly declined. The military had, after all, told him that he would be gone for an undisclosed amount of time, with limited contact with his family. After the years Don and him had spent trying to repair their relationship, and finally finding a comfortable niche, he didn't want to give that up. No matter how tempting.

The second time Rush approached him, Charlie was even more curious. Why did the military need him so badly? But again he had refused. Rush didn't give up so easily though. It took hours to get the man to leave him alone, and only after a lot of yelling.

The third time did not end well at all. Charlie threw the man, and his military escort out before they could even get halfway through the pitch.

The fourth time, they went through his student. And it seemed to have worked. They gave Eli an offer he couldn't refuse. Medical Care for his Mother, his debt for college completely paid off, and the chance of a lifetime. The alternative, getting his memory wiped and everything going back to being the way it was before.

Charlie had seen what the military did to consultants like Eli. They would break him, chew him up and spit him out. They would ruin him and Charlie could not let that happen. So he did what Don would do, Charlie became Eli's temporary big brother, he came with him. Charlie may not have looked like much, or even been much at all, but he would protect Eli to the best of his abilities.

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"Where are you?" Alan asked, knife stilling from where he was chopping up a cucumber for dinner. Don, Amita, and Larry were supposed to come over in a few hours to have dinner, and now it seemed like they would be down one plate.

Alan sat down heavily, sighing quietly in the phone. "Can you at least tell me what you are going to be doing?"

He never liked it when Charlie would suddenly disappear, only to come back weeks, months later, a little quieter, a little more scarred, a little colder. That was supposed to be over now; since Don had come back Charlie barely accepted any of the contracts he had been offered, and none that would take him too far away. There seemed to be something different this time, and he didn't like it.

"Math," Charlie replied, it was the only honest answer he could give. "I'm sorry, Dad. They didn't give me any warning."

They wouldn't have, the military was like that. Alan heard the front door open and close quickly. "Dad I'm home," Don's voice carried through the house and Alan could hear the sharp inhale coming from Charlie.

"I'm in hear Don," he replied, setting the phone down for a moment to explain to Don what was happening. When his eldest son entered the kitchen, he started to go on about his day before a look from his father caused him to stop.

"Dad, what's going on?"

His father sighed heavily again, before he put the phone on speaker. He didn't know what was going on, and he didn't know how to tell Don that. "Charlie's on the phone."

It was kind of mean of him to put it on his youngest son to explain, but Charlie had just sprung it on him. "Hey buddy," Don spoke loudly to be heard from the other side of the room, grabbing a beer out of the fridge. "What's going on, when you getting home? Dad's soup smells fantastic, you're not staying late at the office again, cuz if you are, I'm eating your share."

A dry laugh sounded from over the speaker, "No, Don, I'm not at the office."

Don paused at the counter, pulling the top off his beer, before he made his way slowly over the table. Something was seriously wrong. "Then where are you?"

When Charlie failed to answer after several seconds Alan answered for him. "He can't say."

Anger and worry overtook Don, and instead of sitting at the table with his dad he found himself pacing in anxiety. "Can't or won't? Charlie, what the hell is going on?"

"Can't Donnie, I'm sorry but it is classified. Very…very classified," Charlie sounded distracted. "Look, they gave me no warning, alright. One minute I'm in my office with one of my students, and the next I'm here."

"Damn it, Charlie. I thought you weren't going to take any more of these classified cases."

Charlie laughed dryly again. "I'm sorry Donnie, but it wasn't like they gave me the choice."

The FBI Agent stopped his pacing suddenly and rushed over to the table, worry for his little brother taking over. "Charlie, are you okay? If they have hurt you in any way, I swear-"

"Don," Charlie interrupted him. "I'm fine, they haven't hurt us. But, it's just, look Donnie, I might be out of contact for a while, and you can't be poking around for me. Okay, you have to promise."

"Buddy-"

"No Don," his brother sounded desperate. "These are not the people you investigate; they're the kind that can make you disappear. Promise me!"

Don wondered what his little brother had found himself involved in. Those who could make an FBI Agent disappear, it would seem. "I promise." Don wasn't sure if he was telling the truth but it seemed to be enough for Charlie.

"Okay…okay." Charlie sounded reassured. "Look, I'll try to contact you as often as I can, but where were going doesn't really have…service, for lack of a better word," he paused, and both of the elder Eppes could hear him forcing back tears. "I love you guys."

"Me too, buddy, me too."

"Stay safe."

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The hallways were even darker than the room they had just left. Lieutenant Scott was leading them, gun pointing down the hall in a sweeping pattern, Eli not far behind. Charlie brought up the rear at a more sedate pace, the adrenaline finally wearing off and leaving him feeling lethargic.

"Hey, I recognize these symbols," Eli's voice broke into his haze and Charlie hurried to catch up.

"From the game?" Matt asked, light shining on the door.

Charlie moved up so he could see as well, a dim light on the side catching his attention. Moving closer, he placed his hand upon it and it depressed like a lever, making a hissing noise before he could hear gears catching and the middle of the door twisting as it unlocked. The door opened suddenly, startling all of them in the process. That was soon forgotten by the sight that greeted them.

Rush stood before three large windows that took up an entire wall, and outside was a blending of colors. "We're on a ship?" Eli murmured, putting the pieces together.

"The design is clearly Ancient, in the truest sense of the word," Rush supplied quietly, his voice filling the otherwise quiet room. "Launched, hundreds of thousands of years ago. Faster than light, yet not through hyperspace. Who knows how far it's traveled." Charlie and the others approached him, also looking out the windows. He was right, of course, the ship was ancient. It looked to be falling apart at the very seams.

"Dr. Rush," Scott interrupted is strange monologue. "We have a lot of wounded and we need to get home."

"Lieutenant Scott," Matt's radio crackled, startling them all out of the daze they had been in.

"Yeah, TJ. Go ahead."

"One of the vents just shut down in here."

Eli took a deep breath before stating the obvious. "The air is getting kind of thin in here too."

Scott turned to Rush hoping for an explanation. "What does that mean?"

Rush took a moment to answer, eyes still riveted on the space outside. "It means the life support is failing. And we should probably do something about that."

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The air was becoming thinner in the Gate Room. TJ glanced over at the others congregating around the area. Adrenaline was still running high, but some people were collapsing from the realization of their predicament.

She turned her attention back to the Colonel. Young was still unresponsive, lying still like the dead as she took his vitals. The Senator's daughter approached her slowly, cautiously offering her assistance. Though inexperienced, she was thankful.

Colonel Young's eyes opened suddenly, but they were glazed as if he was lost in his own mind. "Colonel," TJ called, trying to get him to focus. For several seconds she thought she had succeeded, and then he started seizing.

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Professor Eppes stood uncertainly next to Eli as they took in the sight of their first alien planet. As planets went, Charlie thought it was quite unimpressive. It looked very dry. Eli on the other hand looked as if he was having the time of his life. Within seconds he had his iPhone out and was snapping pictures. Charlie almost laughed at the sight, but he knew Eli would be very disappointed when he realized that the military would not allow him to keep the pictures.

"Senator," a man in uniform approached them, a large smile plastered on his face. "It is my honor to welcome you to Icarus base."

The girl Charlie had seen talking with Eli in the mess hall on the ship held her hand out in greeting. "Pleasure to meet you, sir."

"Pleasure," the Colonel agreed, a more natural smile taking over.

As they broke apart, Senator Armstrong snuck in the last word. "She is also my daughter." Eli looked shocked, nodding his head slowly to himself as if the world now made sense, but Charlie heard the barely concealed threat hidden in the Senator's voice. The way the Colonel stiffened, he must have heard it as well.

The Colonel turned to the others, "And you two must be…" he trailed off, not sure how to finish.

"The contest winners," Eli supplied helpfully. Charlie just shook his head in amusement. "That is a really big gun." Let it not be said that Eli was very good at changing subjects.

"Rail gun," another voice supplied. He was also dressed in a military uniform, younger than the one before them, and he seemed nicer. His smile was far more relaxed, as if he did a lot of it. "It shoots 500 rounds per minute," Eli's reaction, of course, was to take another picture.

"This is Lieutenant Matthew Scott; he is to be assigned to you, Professor, and your student."

"Shall we go inside?" Rush interrupted, clearly wanting to get on with it.

The expanding group started to make its way inside the mountain, Rush and the Colonel leading with Senator Armstrong, discussing something along the lines of shaving money and air conditioning. The conversation between Eli and Lieutenant Scott was far more interesting. "It's too dangerous on the surface," Scott was telling Eli.

"Why is that?" Charlie smiled an Eli's naiveté. It was obvious that Scott was picking on him, though in more of a friendly kind of way than hurtful.

"Dinosaurs, Eli, dinosaurs."

The look that crossed Eli's face was comical and Charlie had resist laughing as awe shown in the younger man's eyes. "Really!"

Scott looked at him for a second, before replying with a straight, no-nonsense, face, "No."

Charlie couldn't stop himself from laughing if he tried.

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The first time he saw the Stargate it was truly a magnificent sight. It was larger than he thought it would be. Eli stood in awe next to him, taking another picture of the amazing machine.

"Unbelievable," Eli whispered, still in shock.

"Yeah," Scott agreed quietly next to them. "It is. It is weird how fast you can take something like this for granted."

"So," Eli started, his voice distanced as if he was working on a problem out loud. "If a Stargate can instantly transport you to another planet, than why did we fly here on a space ship?"

"It has something to do with how this one is tied into the planet for power," Scott replied, pushing off of the wall he had been leaning against and making his way over to the two mathematicians. "Apparently it's been modified to only dial out because incoming wormholes are too dangerous. You two are the genius' you could probably tell me better."

Eli scoffed at him. "All I did was figure out a puzzle in a video game; Professor Eppes probably solved it weeks before me." Eli nudged him with his elbow, blushing at being called a genius.

"Stop selling yourself short, Eli," Charlie commented. That was always his favorite thing about his student. Eli could have discovered the answer to life as everyone knows it and still would have blushed and stumbled his way through the praise.

"Well, in any case," Lieutenant Scott interrupted their moment. "You two solved a problem that Dr. Rush has been trying to solve for months. And for that, a lot of people around here are really glad to see."

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"And of course you met Colonel Telford," Rush's Scottish lilt filled the large room, making introductions for the Senator.

Senator Armstrong grabbed the Colonel's hand to shake. "You ready for this Colonel?"

"You just give the word, sir," Telford replied, a rather shit eating grin spread across his face. Charlie zoned out at that point, choosing instead to watch the others around them. Eli was bouncing in place, excitement oozing out of every pore. Chloe, the Senator's daughter, appeared just as excited, but was restraining herself a great deal better than his student.

Before he knew it, the gate was spinning in place, making a loud grinding noise of stone on stone. It had begun. One by one, the chevrons locked in place, lighting the Stargate up in orange lights. "Chevron eight, locked," Sargent Riley said, peering intently at the screen. The whole base started to shake and tremble as the Stargate turned and turned in circles. "Chevron nine encoded."

Electricity started to dance around the gate, and everyone started to feel nervous. "What's going on?" Charlie asked their guide, Lieutenant Scott.

Scott turned to him, worry spreading across his own face. "I don't know, we never got this far before."

Telford crossed his arms, anger started to get the better of him. Rush shook his head in disbelief; ripping his glasses off, he made his way over to the screen. "We matched the power requirements down to the EMU…it must work."

"Shut it down," Colonel Young demanded making his way over to the group.

"Wait, wait, wait," Rush pleaded.

"Fluctuations indicate that-"

"Shut it down now," Young ordered, hand clasping the young Sargent's shoulder briefly. The Gate slowly powered down as the trembling finally stopped. Electricity still crackled along the top for a minute more before that too stopped.

"Well, it didn't," the Colonel nearly snapped at him. "And drawing power from the-"

"Dangerous," Rush supplied, anger starting to creep up on him as well. "Yes, we were aware of that."

"Regardless," Young snapped, "of what's been spent or what's at stake my first priority is to ensure the safety of the people on this base." The way he said it was as if he had to remind Rush of the lives at stake. It made Charlie's hands go cold. Just what did he get himself involved in?

Rush turned his eyes to the Senator before he agreed quietly. "Of course," he turned his eyes to Young. "Of course."

"Eli," Rush didn't quite turn to the math student. "We best run through your equations again. Professor Eppes, if you will join me?"

Dr. Rush turned and walked off, a look of disbelief taking over Eli's features. "You are not seriously putting this on me?" He was right of course, Eli's math was sound. Charlie had checked it himself. Slowly others started to make their way out of the room, following Dr. Rush. Charlie waited with Eli as he stood their stunned. His student slowly turned to the rest of the group, words catching in his throat as Telford all but glared at him. "Not my fault."

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When Lieutenant Matthew Scott made his way back to the Gate Room he could hear people shouting at each other, demanding to know what was going on. Just as he entered the room, lights came on and some people cheered. He had left Dr. Rush, Eppes, and Eli in the 'interface control room' as it was properly named and he quietly thanked them for getting the systems up and running.

Making his way into the center of the room, he tried to gather everyone's attention. "Listen up," it didn't work. He tried several more times before he finally shouted at the top of his lungs. "HEY, LISTEN UP!" That seemed to work, and everyone gave him their undivided attention. "We are on an Ancient ship," Scott's bravado leaving him as desperate faces met his. "That's all I got," he finished, sentence trailing off.

Senator Armstrong approached him, arm clutched around his mid-section, his daughter Chloe helping him to stand. "You need to use the Stargate to get us all back home." Though injured and weak, he still was able to command with strength. Scott resisted the urge to cow before him.

Nodding his head in a pacifying sort of way, he continued, "That is definitely on the list of things to do, but right now-"

"Water," Scott called out, as the Senator demanded for his pills. Once the Senator was stable he continued. "Look, I'm just trying to explain our situation," he paused, not sure how to continue. "We're on a ship, but we have no idea where we are in relation to Earth. With respect sir," Scott addressed the Senator, frustration nearly gone for the moment. "The reason you might be having a hard time breathing is because…because the ships life support system is not functioning properly." Panic started to once again set in on the group, but Scott continued before it could take them over. "Dr. Rush and Professor Eppes are working on that right now. Brody, and Park with me,"

"But these consoles just came on," Brody told him, fingers itching to explore.

"Stay put," a voice shouted out from the group as Scott turned down the corridor, Brody and Park following after. "Wait, so you're just going to go like that?"

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This is the first half of Part 1; the second will hopefully be up in a week. Enjoy, and please review, they are the only things I live for. I will follow along the plot line of the series for several more episodes and then I may or may not deviate from there, I don't know yet.

-Theta

The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.